From silent movies to the modern, John Wayne stands out as the most famous star. He started as a prop boy and extra, but with the help of John Ford he made the step from B movies to the big screen. John Wayne and hundreds of other Hollywood cowboys made history and brought the old west alive.

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In its first year, 150,000 passengers rode the Transcontinental Railroad from Omaha to Sacramento, that number rose to a million. Some traveled for a vacation, others to a destination. Comfort varied between first class with beds and exotic food to the emigrants who brought their own food and sat the whole journey.

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Gary Cooper was a top male box-office attraction and could star in westerns or modern movies. Fans expected death -defying deeds as well as a hero with high moral standards. John Ford created the “epic” western high budget movies like “Stagecoach” which rescued an actor named John Wayne

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Early movies needed a hero, Gilbert Anderson became Broncho Billy and made a sequel a week, making $50,000 per show. Bill Hart became a clean-cut hero creating the look of the Old West. Next, Tom Mix was a good athlete and did his own stunts while dressed in all white hat and clothes. By 1925 he was making $17,500 a week and was a star to millions until he died in a car wreck.

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The film industry began in the early 1900’s. Cowboys found less work on ranches, but could make more money being extras and stunt doubles in early Western movies. It could be dangerous work, but some went on to become movies stars.

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Mules, Frozen Hands, "Big" Ed, A Magic Cow, A Horse called "Firecracker" another called "The Black Demon" and a true champion bronc rider.

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The First Cattle Drive, A cowboy who nearly drowned, Hank Vaughn, Horse Trading, A lone cowboy and Seven White Horses.

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He worked for several of the big stage companies. He saw the need for short lines to small towns and mines. From Salt Lake he served nearly every community along the Wasatch Mountains and grew into one of the largest and wealthiest companies in the country.

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The Saluda had been sunk, raised, patched and put into service on the Missouri River. Captain Belt said he was going to make it up the river or blow it up, and that’s what happened. The Sultana was taking released Union prisoners of war North. A greedy captain was paid by how many passengers he could crowd onto the Sultana. 1195 passengers died as a result of a boiler explosion.

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John Napton took a chance on the Imperial to get home from Fort Benton. A miserable voyage, constantly getting stuck on sand bars, no pilot, food with worms and passengers having to get out into the river to pull the boat off sand bars. He joined other passengers to finish the voyage in a salvaged Mackinaw.

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Sir Richard Burton thought the military would appreciate the help of genuine British soldier. He wrote of his experiences which helped entice his fellow countrymen to immigrate and invest in the cattle industry. Wealthy Englishwomen soon adapted to the western way of life.

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